This is our God (Hillsong-Reuben Morgan)

Your grace is enough, more than i need
at Your word i will believe
i wait for you, draw near again
let Your spirit make me new

i will fall at Your feet, i will fall at Your feet
and i will worship You here

Your presence in me, Jesus light the way
by the power of Your word
i am restored, i am redeemed
by Your spirit i am free

freely You gave it all for us,
surrendered Your life upon that cross,
great is the love poured out for all,
this is our God

lifted on high from death to life, forever our God is glorified
servant and king, rescued the world
this is our God

it's CHRISTmas eve, it's great to be home, it's heartwarming to see familiar faces and places, my room, my bed, my piano.. even the heavy rain sounds so comforting. so yes, Christmas is almost here, hip hurray! ive always been hyped for Christmas year after year, there's even excitement all around the streets of singapore, with all the fancy lightings and dangling lollipops, technicolor-forever-changing decors and bling blings wrapping the malls.. mega sales, discounts, offers, huge crowds and long queues of last minute christmas shoppers. "chestnuts roasting in an open fire..." christmas tracks play, choirs carolling, eager eyes waiting for the clock to strike 12 before attacking the beautifully wrapped gifts and then complaining that it wasnt the gift they wanted.

christmas has become yet another excuse for piling the home with more gifts and for retail stores to make money.. yea maybe attend a church service, have a family gathering.. but where has the real meaning of Christmas gone?
do you still remember that many years ago, someone was born into this world, though He was God, He lived as a man and endured pain and hardship. He taught the world to have faith, to have hope, to have love and He demonstrated the greatest love of all on the cross. that's what Christmas about.. the greatest gift from God: Christ Jesus, who saw us sinners and not only had compassion on us, but loved us unconditionally.
so what are you giving to God this Christmas?

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13

MERRY CHRISTMAS, JESUS LOVES YOU

i feel like i've just returned to planet earth after a long long time when actually it's just been a week in adelaide. Overseas Christian Fellowship Convention 2008 was super, awesome, great, fantastic.. i-want-to-go-back-there-right-now kinda good. the camp only went on for 5 days but it was 5 days of intensive learning and 'awakening', which i would usually take maybe a semester to digest.
camp theme was THE KING'S RETURN, GET READY. it's basically reminding us to be ready for Christ's return.

2Peter3 explains everything...
10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.[a]
11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.[b]That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
14So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

it just made me think.. if the Lord were to return tomorrow, would i be ready to welcome Him, and be accountable for what I've done with my life? what have i been wasting my life with? when i come into His presence on the day of His return, what will matter most to Him? is it the same as what matters most to me? i haven't been putting in much effort in spreading the message of power and salvation to the unreached countries.. i havent even been putting in effort to spread the message to those around me. maybe its fear of rejection and being mocked and being left out, maybe its the feeling of inadequacy, maybe because i need to make sure my own life is fine and cared for, my needs are met, my goals are reached before i can start on anything that does not benefit me. but does that make God happy? is that what He wants? am i picking up the cross daily and following Him? hurhur.. big fat no.. and no i dont want to live like that and feel guilty when God asks me about my life!
i want to live my life totally surrendered to God, availing myself, my time, my energy to His works and His kingdom, standing firm in this faith, encouraging others, reaching out to others. and i'll need your prayers! and remind myself to do so everyday!!!!!!